1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic system provided with a so-called color flow image function in which a color image representative of a blood flow distribution is formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been used an ultrasonic diagnostic system which is available with the diagnosis of diseases through displaying an ultrasonic tomographic image (B-mode image) within the subject and the human body particularly on the basis of ultrasonic wave signals obtained by means of transmitting ultrasonic beams within the human body and receiving the ultrasounds reflected by a tissue in the human body.
Recently, such an ultrasonic diagnostic system is equipped with a color flow image function in which a blood flow distribution within the subject is detected utilizing a Doppler effect, and blood flow information superposed on the B-mode image is displayed with a coloring such that a blood flow, which flows in a predetermined direction, is colored by, for example, red and a blood flow, which flows in the opposite direction, is colored by, for example, blue. A blood flow distribution can be detected in such a manner that a domain of interest for a blood flow distribution is set up on the B-mode image by a domain setting handler such as a track ball or the like, a line drawing representing the domain of interest set up is displayed on the B-mode image so that the blood flow distribution within the domain of interest can be detected. A color image representative of the blood flow distribution thus detected is superposed on the B-mode image and displayed.
When the blood flow distribution is observed using the above-mentioned color flow image function, it happens that only set up of the domain of interest on the B-mode image brings about a poor quality of image within the domain of interest and/or a poor sensitivity. It is only possible to observe the color image representative of the blood flow distribution within the domain of interest, when a focus of the ultrasonic beam is set within the domain of interest.
According to the conventional system, as described above, there is a need to perform both setting of the domain of interest and setting of the focus. This causes a troublesomeness in operation.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic system capable of contributing to simplification in operation throughout the color imaging.